So Small
by Elena Ryan
Summary: All the yelling and the screaming, the tears and the anguish; Lydie Bolton can't take it anymore, she wants to get a message through to both her parents-the best way she knows how. TXG.


**This is a songfic based on Carrie Underwood's song, "SO SMALL"—if you haven't heard it, go on youtube and look it up it's so good! Any way, I hope you like it and be sure to enjoy!**

**So Small**

Lydie Maree Bolton, age 16 with her father's eyes that were a shocking electric blue and turned a sad, depressing gray when she was upset or angry, sat on the ledge of the window sill with her eyes glistening with tears that she would never shed, her ears were perked up and opened; listening to her mother yell at her father over the phone. It's not like they didn't love each other, Lydia suspected they did-after all, you can't stop loving some one once you have started making a life with them and you have a bond.

No, Lydie knew they still loved each other, they just got lost along the way and are in a place so dark that has no lights. "...I can't believe you! You are so stupid Troy!" he mom yelled, Lydie could imagine her eyes swarming with anger. she couldn't hear her dad's response, but suspected it would be just as loud and just as angry.

she doubled over, covering her ears with hands tightly; tears falling silently down her cheeks. she hated it that they fought...almost nightly they fought. "Stop it..." she mumbled, her voice shaking and quivering from the tears. "Stop it!" she said louder, but not loud enough for mom, Gabriella Montez-Bolton, to hear her. But, she heard her.

"No-Troy, you...YOU DON'T DESERVE TO SEE HER FOR THE WEEKEND BECAUSE YOU'RE NEVER AROUND!" Gabriella was talking through her teeth; which were clamped shut and tight; her fingers bit into the flesh of her palms as Troy yelled on the other end.

"SHE'S MY DAUGHTER TOO DAMN IT!"

"BUT YOU'RE NEVER AROUND! SO DON'T EVEN CALL HER THAT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE AROUND HER-"

"Mom, stop it, please stop it!" She turned around to see Lydie standing before her with a blue backpack slung over her shoulder and her worn out red sneakers tightly tied on her feet. "Please stop it..." her eyes were swollen and her cheeks were swollen. Gabriella had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, her told Troy that she'd call her back and hung up the phone.

Now, she stood in front her daughter, looking her up and down; crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Where are you going?" she asked, her voice cracked, her eyes didn't demand any tears though. Lydie sniffled and wiped at her already dry, tear stained cheeks.

"I-I..I am leaving..." she said, in a soft voice.

"Like hell you are, now go upstairs and wash up for dinner." Gabriella retorted, turning to the ktichen stove and began putting pasta noodles into boiling water.

"Mom, no, I'm-I'm leaving.." she said, a little braver; straightening her shoulders and breathing through her nose to steady her breath. Gabriella turned around on her heel.

"And I said you're not, now, upstairs-"

"NO! I mean it." Lydie tightened her grip on her backpack and turned on her heel, walking toward the door; but, she didn't get very far because her mom grabbed her by the elbow and pulled at her so she nearly fell backwards. "Mom, let go...you're hurting me-"

"You are not leaving, Lydie!" Gabriella hissed, "get washed up for dinner now!" she threw her toward the stairs; but Lydie caught herself and didn't hit anything. She squared her shoulders and ran toward the door, Gabriella followed behind, but she took after her father and was fast.

"LYDIE!" Gabriella yelled, "Lydie! Get back here!" but her voice only echoed as her daughter's form slowly shrunk into the horizon. Gabriella felt the tears brimming her eyes as she ran back into the house, she didn't know why she thought of it, it just ran into her head and before she gained any control of her own, her hand picked up the phone and her fingers flew upon the dialpad-dailing the number of the man that she was yelling at just moments before.

"about time you call me back-"

"Lydie's gone." she said, tears threatening to fall-some already falling. "she left...I-I-I...I tried to stop her...but-"

"What do you mean she's gone?" Troy asked, grasping the phone tightly. Gabriella's voice was more shaken as more tears fell.

"She left, she went the opposite way of your house,..I-I-I..."

"Okay, okay..calm down Brie, we'll find her, get in your car and search..i'll do the same. We'll split up." Gabriella nodded, forgetting that Troy couldn't see her, but he didn't seem to want a verbal response, they just needed to find their daughter; wherever she might be.

(Lydie)

The night was cold, and the clouds were gray and angry. Lydie slowed her run to a walk and wrapped her arms around her small shivering frame. She may have gotten her athleticism and blue eyed charisma from her dad, but she had her mother's small body frame and she was the spitting image. "God..please…keep me safe and walk with me…send your angels to be beside me." She prayed as it grew darker and colder.

Each step she took, she grew colder. No matter how hard she rubbed her arms to make the goose flesh disappear. She let out a shivering breath, hearing music coming from the distance. A pub; there were only two in the little town of South Rivermouth Ridge. _It's probably warm in there, _she thought. Quickening her pace as she walked toward it.

Lydie was the type of 16 year old girl that could pass for 21 at age 16. She'd walk into a bar and wouldn't get carded or chastised. Opening the wooden door of the little pub, she was invited in by the scent of booze and wine and the warm atmosphere of it all. But, she didn't smile, she didn't feel like smiling. "Thank you God….but a homeless mission shelter would have been better." She went to sit at a booth, closest to a stage that stood proudly in the middle of the room.

(Troy)

He sped down the road, snow was beginning to fall. His grip tightened on the wheel as he continued to think about his little Lydie alone out here and possibly freezing to death. His eyes clouded with worry, he sped up.

The radio wasn't on; the only sound was his ragged breathing and his hectic heart pounding against his rib cage—that was loud enough. "Lydie…"He breathed, "where are you?" he searched the sides of the road as he passed. He didn't see his daughter in the light of the headlights of his Audi G6.

(Gabriella)

Her heart was pounding like a jackhammer, as she looked up and down the sidewalk on both sides of the street; her heart pounding harder as the snow fell—making a layer on everything non-moving. "Lydie…I'm sorry…please come home.." she silently prayed, tears cascading down her face as she drove faster down the road. _Daughter, _said a warm, forgiving voice from inside of her._ I will guide you…leave it to your faith._

When she heard that voice in her, she felt better—comforted—as she slowed her car down and drove slowly down the road; finally stopping in front of a little pub. At first she was confused, but she knew to trust her God and her faith. She turned her back on him once, and that was not good for her, she took off her seat belt and pushed open her car door. Praying silently, asking for strength, she walked into the pub.

The scent of alcohol and cigarettes hitting her senses immediately, "she must be here…" she pulled out her cell phone, flipping it open, dialing Troy's number.

"Troy?" she asked, "Yeah…I think I know where she is...God led her to me; meet me at the pub..Ridgeshore pub…" she snapped the shut silently, walking to a booth and sitting down; putting her head in hands; wiping away old tears and catching the new ones.

She knew God led her here for a reason, she just prayed that that reason was that Lydie was here.

(Troy)

He pulled into the parking, nearly jumping out of his car and running through the door of the bar. Searching through the heads of the many customers. "Lydie.." he breathed, not finding her, but finding another familiar brunette; her shoulders shaking with soft sobs and her head in her hands. He walked over to her, but was stopped in the middle by a provocatively dressed waitress; her cleavage and legs showing more than anything else—not that she anything to show…

"Can I get you anything?" she purred, drawing circles on his chest. Troy cleared his throat awkwardly and pulled back.

"Um, one beer and one white wine…" the waitress frowned, obviously taking the hint that he was here with some one.

"Of course, they'll be right out..hot stuff." That's uncomfortable. Troy gave a hesitant nod and waited till she walked away to push on; when he got to the table, Gabriella looked up at him through thick, water blubbed eyelashes.

"Troy?" she whimpered, breaking down further; she hugged her body with her arms and silently cried an ocean. Troy reached a hand across the table and gently placed it on her arm, rubbing it gently with his thumb.

"Hey, it's okay, we'll find her—"

"Troy, its my fault, I've been yelling so much..and…and.."

"Brie, it's not your fault; if it's anybody's fault, it's mine…I'm the one that left." Guilt; it started envelope Troy in a thick wool quilt. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it reassuringly, "and I'm sorry for that…I didn't mean to hurt any one…especially you and especially Lydie."

Gabriella gave him a sad smile, and squeezed his calloused fingers, "you're forgiven..I—" she paused when she realized what she was about to say, Troy looked at her with a questionable look.

"What?"

She took a breath, "I've waited 4 months to say that to your face…" Troy's mouth fell open, staring at Gabriella—his ex-wife—in shock.

"Seriously?" He asked, staring into her brown orbs.

She nodded, with a small smile on her face. "Yes, seriously." Troy's mouth lifted into a smile; a sad smile, but a smile.

"We should find Lydie—" Troy was interrupted when the sound of the emcee came over the microphone, from the middle of the bar.

"Hey!" the deep voice boomed, it was recognized as Chad Danforth, Troy's best friend—Lydies 'uncle'. "You all know that it's open mic night right?" everyone cheered, and a wide boyish smile spread wide across his face.

"Now that's what I like to hear! First we have a young lady who volunteered herself and…she's my best friends daughter; so give her some appreciated _well respected _love! Lydie Bolton!"

Gabriella and Troy shot up, standing beside the booth, when they saw a spot light light the stage and Lydie come out from the shadows behind it; holding the guitar that Troy had given her on her birthday—Troy squinted, he thought that Gabriella told her to get rid of that…and she hid it here this whole time. He smirked at his daughter secrecy.

Lydie strummed lightly, the sound of drums tapping gently and a keyboard following that, as she began to sing the words that have been dying to come out of her throat for weeks. "Yeah, Yeah" she purred lightly, then she started singing…. 

_What you got if you ain't got love  
>the kind that you just want to give away<br>It's okay to open up  
>go ahead and let the light shine through<br>I know it's hard on a rainy day  
>you want to shut the world out and just be left alone<br>But don't run out on your faith___

she looked to where there was a crucifix of Jesus hanging on the wall, she sang with love in her heart and tears building her eyes. 

_'Cause sometimes that mountain you've been climbing is just a grain of sand  
>What you've been up there searching for<br>forever is in your hands  
>When you figure out love is all that matters after all<br>It sure makes everything else  
>seem so small<em> 

Troy and Gabriella stared and gawked at their daughter and how she sang so proudly with all her heart; they felt their throats getting tight and choked up, tears threatening to burst and cascade down their faces. It was as if she was singing directly to them. 

_It's so easy to get lost inside  
>a problem that seems so big at the time<br>it's like a river thats so wide  
>it swallows you whole<br>While you sit around thinking about what you can't change  
>and worrying about all the wrong things<br>time's flying by  
>moving so fast<br>you better make it count 'cause you can't get it back_

_Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing is just a grain of sand  
>What you've been up there searching for<br>forever is in your hands  
>When you figure out love is all that matters after all<br>It sure makes everything else  
>Seem so small<em>

_Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing is just a grain of sand  
>What you've been up there searching for<br>forever is in your hands  
>When you figure out love is all that matters after all<br>It sure makes everything else  
>Oh it sure makes everything else<br>Seem so small_

_Yeah, Yeah _

The crowd roared with applause and some were even crying as they played the performance over again in their heads. Lydie smiled sadly, took a bow and placed the microphrone back on its stand; leaving the stage…straight into her parents arms. Being met with the crushing weight of her parents arms around her. "Lydie!" Troy said, kissing her forehead, pulling away so he could at her, "you had m—us—worried!" Lydie frowned, but didn't say anything—although she did open her mouth to say something, but her mom beat her to it, "Lydie, I'm sorry…I'm so sor—oof!"

She wrapped both her arms around their necks; pulling them down to her height, tears streaked down her cheeks, leaving tracks of thin stripes down beneath her face and her face shine in the light. "I love you…." She whispered in both their ears.

Troy hugged her tightly as did Gabriella, "I love you too sweetie…" they said in unison. "I love you too."

**Hope you liked it, and I should say that I cried three times while writing this…don't ask why, I have no clue! Anyway, REVIEW!**


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